Book Review

I have finished two more books, "I Shouldn't Even Be Doing This and Other Things That Strike Me Funny" by Bob Newhart and "The Last Lecture" by Randy Pausch.
Bob Newhart's book was the first one I read.  He reminds me of my dad because we loved watching his shows.  Reruns of his first show would air after Johnny Carson in the late 70's and early 80's.  I still think he should be married to Suzanne Pleschette.  My dad had his comedy albums and I remember listening to them while I was growing up.  His book was a great read for all the memories but it was written in kind of a half hazzard way.  I did learn something though.  Before he got started he sent demo tapes to 3 radio stations and two of them were familiar.  One was in Idaho Falls and the other was in Jacksonville, FL.  I read in bed before I go to sleep and I laughed so hard in one part that I thought I'd wake up Brad.  In college at Loyola University he sparred with his friend Jim McGee.  This is the story he tells:


"During our sessions Jimmy gave me a deviated septum, probably from a left hook.  I didn't think much of it at the time until my induction physical, when the doctor said, "Bend over," which I did, 
and the doctor said, "How did you get the deviated septum?" and I wondered, "You can see it 
from there?" 


It still makes me laugh, out loud, hard!
I also think he had the all time best moment in TV history at the end of his show Newhart when he wakes up in bed with Suzanne Pleschette and tells her about the dream he had of running an Inn in Vermont.  Brilliant!

"The Last Lecture"  was a more uplifting book than I was expecting.  It's written by a man who is dying from cancer.  He is married with 3 kids and is a professor.  He is asked to give a lecture at the end of his career and he ends up delivering a legacy for his wife and children.  It is also very entertaining.  The book has 61 chapters but they are very short, some less than a page long.  Some of my favorites are:


Be The First Penguin
All You Have To Do Is Ask
Be A Communitarian
No Job Is Beneath You
The $100,000 Salt And Pepper Shaker
Get In Touch With Your Crayon Box
Send Out Thin Mints
A Recovering Jerk
Romancing The Brick Wall


Actually, I could put down almost every chapter so I should just tell you to read the whole book.  I highly recommend it.  I would recommend the Bob Newhart  book if you are a fan of his.